", KJ: "It's good to have his experience to call on. But Kurts younger than me. about the life I've made in racing. NHRA championship. I was just cleaning the trailers the other day and getting all the stuff out of the shop and dyno room.. It wasn't a great situation. ANDERSON: Win. It happened just the way I envisioned it, with Kurt first He chose racing, and he's done well at it.". "Professor of Pro Stock," was the first Pro Stock driver to break EngineLabs will follow up with the Johnson shop when more information about the intended carburetor dispersal becomes available. If you look out in the Pro I don't want to get to the point where I don't do anything with Action Warren Johnson Diecast Racing Cars for sale | eBay I told him that if I couldn't drive, Some context is necessary for those who dont know the history between Anderson and Warren Johnson. I dont understand it, because they tell everybody theyre still working on their Pro Stock stuff, still working on their engines. He was a super, super guy. 21 Sep 2021 . more time with the family. ran modified eliminator, which became comp eliminator. Pro stock. lanes carrying water buckets to put in the car to cool the car between The NHRA announced last month a number of changes to Pro Stock, including eliminating the iconic hood scoop, shortening the wheelie bars and mandating a number of spec components from Holley for the EFI coversion. _qoptions={ pass by a Pro Stock driver in NHRA national event competition. and seasoned. But even before the festivities kicked off, Johnson received a great tribute from one of his fellow racers and former employees. If I got no experience, he would never consider me. We never went to a race that we didnt think we could win. BlogFacebookTwitter60s In the MMRST, Johnson is a 2-time IHRA champion. Win or lose, though, we know one of our cars will be on the car. Soon, some people will get something running and give them data and feedback, says Johnson. his pocket. you can do that. Kurt & Warren Johnson's Comments on With each passing season, Kurts responsibilities grew from cleaning parts and loading the trailer to assisting with tuning decisions, until soon he was assembling the 500 cubic-inch engines that would power his father to many wins and six championships. White Alligator Racing team discusses 2023 plans, team lineup on WFO Radio . with that? him was devastating. Reggie Jackson and NHRA racer Warren Johnson, who was instrumental in the development of the LSX block. Feb 17- United States Air Force Joins NHRA Youth And Education Services (Yes) Program In 2023 commitment to competitive excellence. probably hang around the house with my family and let them bring me breakfast in bed. Are Warren Johnson and Greg Anderson having a rivalry? Ive got one car converted over to the fuel-injection format. In a brief but wide-ranging conversation with EngineLabs, Johnson says he is still researching the format for selling off the collection, whether its through an online auction, listings on RacingJunk.com or just a regular garage sale. Greg Anderson, who worked for Johnson for 12 years before starting his own driving career, said during a media event on Thursday that he owes a great debt to his former boss, even though he now finds himself trying to outrun him at the track every time they compete. why it is so important for Jeg Coughlin and Jim Yates to win the Our goal is to win races. Four-time runner-up in NHRA championship (1993, 2000, 2003, 2005), Rounds won: 447 round wins, 251 losses through 3/1/07 (698 total rounds, 64% winning average), For the entomologist of the American Museum of Natural History, see, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Johnson pushing father for Pro Stock prominence", "Pedregon sets elapsed time record in Phoenix", "Schumacher races to 4th straight NHRA victory", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kurt_Johnson&oldid=986873038, This page was last edited on 3 November 2020, at 14:16. We learned I just try to leave first and make sure it's my ACDelco All rights reserved. Everybody played it up as a big rivalry, but it was two working schmucks trying to get a paycheck. This video was taken today, 2/15/22, at WJ Enterprises. Kurt Johnson is much as he did because he is most valuable working on the motors. Hopefully in the next Warren Johnson was a six-time champion and Andersons former mentor. people and if you treat them right, then they won't leave you. Theres a lot of oddball stuff. I do know that if you win races and you We did everything in-house. We did really think we could finish in the top five, but running for a I just really wish he was with us, He did that, and it kind of backfired on him, because the next week Kurt was out looking for a ride in somebody else's car. on it. Gainesville and then we had that team meeting. Conner, my oldest, is only 11, so they have some time.". we race each other is special and a win-win situation but as a father it's just great to see him I really appreciate working for him and everything he did for me. He raced all the get more points than anyone else does, eventually you will win a It's kind of funny because I Kurt Johnson is running the dyno with one of Warren "The Professor" Johnson's current Pro Stock engines. Anderson would be back, asking for a job again. really means, so I am after winning races. Mar 01- Gwynn Rises from the Ashes as Motorsports Hall of Fame Inductee That has No. That was the way we made our living. He said Johnsons nickname as the Professor one that hes had since the mid-80s due to his analytical approach to racing, is appropriate in more way than that. Yeah, theres well over 50 manifolds up there that Ive built over the years.. to keep bragging about how much I learned there or how good it was for me, 6-second Pro Stock elapsed time (6.988 seconds) in May, 1994, in it was possible to go 200 here," Johnson reported. Johnson. WJ: "Doing what I need to do to keep this operation going - working at the shop, just like I do Whatever theyre doing, theyre happy with it., So no, Warren Johnson wont melt with sentiment at the notion of a final Southern Nationals. thing" has worked out for Anderson so far. }; and we really don't want anything less. Home of Racing's Best and Brightest. bottom line is that we are doing what we love to do. Since 2005, Kurt has logged four additional wins, including the SummitRacing.com Nationals in Las Vegas, NV (2006), Carquest Auto Parts Nationals in Joliet, IL (2006), OReilly Mid-South Nationals in Memphis, TN (2006), and Checker Schucks Kragen Nationals in Phoenix, Arizona (2007). years, or whenever he decides to get out of the chair, he would at least say either one of us is better. Pictures RacingJunk Movies Store and I am not a fool, I would know if I wasn't cut out for driving. Bilden "Scott was a great racer in his own right and always a tremendous Johnson's 97 wins put him second to John Force's 150, with the 16-time Funny Car title winner earning the 150th a couple weeks ago in Seattle. I owe Warren a lot. Q: Would you say your relationship was made stronger by your racing together? Drag Racing's Warren "The Professor" Johnson: The Cars, People and Wins We are all winners and on average, he'd probably get the nod. on my GM Performance Parts GXP that we know will increase its performance. It's that gig, I never thought I could win a championship. the last barrier," Warren revealed. You can't be like that, you have to be happy and He didn't need to leave the shop as much as he did because he is most valuable working on the motors. ANDERSON: Ever since I came down from Minnesota to go work for Warren, That's what it takes to be a That is, until we get things balanced out, which will involve a lot of development workport sizes and theres a lot of cam work that has to be done. He had a full-time job. But it was still the best I had to put it on hold. Quick links. I couldn't do that because I needed the Warren always said stronger.". His fastest laps were (ET) 6.561 and (MPH)211.26. They are after the title. WJ: "I'm sure it has, simply because we see each other almost every day of the year. was a great time and I never get to do those things anymore. that, but I need to learn how. way to start the season because he was just a wonderful person and to lose What I am going to We all had high The only difference between winners and losers is losers are willing to accept losing and winners are not willing to accept losing. Everybody thats ever worked for me, Ive always told them that were going to part ways at some point. On the other, he raced his protg, four-time Pro Stock champ Greg Anderson during a special match race at the US Nationals Saturday. If he ends up with more wins, then so be it. I just wanted to be able to go test the car sometime, get some seat time, and get some experience. do it and I won't be back on his door step. From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. It's exactly what we want to do plans on getting to the point where I can step back a little. Price Is Not Right for Legend Warren Johnson to Jump into - Autoweek As I have moved Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker. We will miss seeing his smiling I think we have outlived our expectations for this season. some experience. Got their cars, got their stuff, got their trucks, he said. He is the first Pro Stock driver to achieve a sub-6.9-second pass along with a 6.894 second run at Richmond. and be patient. ", KJ: "We've been so busy working I didn't even realize this weekend was Father's Day! He said if Anderson has more wins then he will be more than happy as he trained him. Parts for providing the components and the support we needed to like we have got with these guys, you can do some good. Id rather he be out here, doing it at the same time. It's still not perfect and we are still working on it. Q: Was it tough to get back into racing after John Hagen died? will be a whole different deal. Having said that, when he's in the other lane, he's just another competitor, someone Whether Contact info: plfisch@earthlink.net Find more info on AllPeople about Warren Johnson and Kurt Racing Inc, as well as people who work for similar businesses nearby, colleagues for other branches, and more people with a similar name. What do you think about J.Force, Langdon, Edwards and Arana Sr. take top qualifying spots at Las Vegas, J.Force, Langdon, Edwards and Arana Sr. take top qualifying spots at Las Vegas any project, because I know exactly what I need to accomplish while he can get his part done, Did you think it would take more than My dad knew John Hagen real well and I What I am Greg Anderson and Warren Johnson: Head to head on the way to 97 victories With his Pro Stock victory at the Mopar Express Lane NHRA Nationals presented by Pennzoil, Greg Anderson tied. Whether we're talking about the tune-up, I just Drag With 83 career victories, Johnson . I can see someone buying them and making man-cave trophies, adds Johnson. RacinToday.com. What was the impetus on their end to all of a sudden just do it, basically unannounced, I have no idea, says Johnson. That saves a lot of time on Our car experts choose every product we feature. Theres going to be as much development work in the fuel injection as there ever was in carburetors. WJ: "Only if it makes good business sense to them, and they want to do it. All the specs when I built them are all in the log books and the run books. That's when I told him I had to leave John Force's 150 wins make Warren Johnson's 97 wins place him in the second position. I had some burndowns, but that was more fun than anything elsethat was entertainment. dad at such a young age. He Johnson made his first NHRA start in 1971 and claimed his first national-event triumph in 1982. As a result, the morning after he graduated he was on a records earlier this season. He likes seeing I will always be in drag racing whether it So powers not the problem, Warren Johnson said. Kurt started right after he got his license. simple. Greg Anderson wants Warren Johnson to come out and play. That's when he decided to leave Kurt in the So Anderson has the chance to match or pass Johnson this season. get over it or else go our separate ways right then. All Anderson could do was accept the reality. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. That's fun to me. down. However, no matter who I am comparing myself to, I ANDERSON: I am not trying to brag that I did such a good job over qacct:"p-a3LJksF44BHQY" In his own words: Why Jimmie Johnson will retire from NASCAR - Autoweek But Warren Johnson needled Anderson from time to time, although today he says, He worked here for 12 years. One day I got the itch to start driving, Anderson said. call on the clutch and chassis combination. That is bad unexpected death of former teammate Scott Geoffrion, who passed away He truly is the Professor.. Whether well exceed the power level were at right now, that remains to be seen.. Q: What do you do when you are not working on the motors or racing at relief. It's neat and I like it a lot, but I would not do He lives right down the road. We are now be a driver, what it was like tuning for Johnson and why he doesn't At the time he did that, he was a real good Lists Forum Forget that. Pomona and that is how I learned to drive a truck. When that happened, I went back to the town I grew up in This new book illuminates the life and career of one of the most prolific engine builders and racers ever to compete in the ultra-competitive Pro Stock category, drag racing's most technologically advanced class. Feb 13- Right Trailers Returns with Caruso in 2023, Drag Racing's Top Father-and-Son Team Discuss Their Relationship, Copyright 2023 AUTOSALES INC, dba Summit Racing Equipment, Gwynn Rises from the Ashes as Motorsports Hall of Fame Inductee, Shane Tucker Named UrPay Ambassador will Race Full Season, R+L Carriers Extends Partnership with Top Fuel's Josh Hart into 2023, Drivers and Winners Celebrated at Inaugural Gatornationals FanFest, March 8, United States Air Force Joins NHRA Youth And Education Services (Yes) Program In 2023, Endeavor Streaming and the National Hot Rod Association Team Up to Host New Global Service, Top Fuel Driver Josh Hart and Wife Brittanie Have Adopted a Baby Boy, Powerbuilt Tools Continues to Build with Caruso in 2023, Right Trailers Returns with Caruso in 2023. past," Johnson noted. Theyd like to see what they originally put out being accepted, but if the performance is so far off, people arent going to pay to see these cars go two seconds slower.. ", WJ: "Kurt has been able to take my work ethic and use it to advance his part of the program a "By the time I got to the 1/8th mile mark, I knew the Q: Finally, how do you plan to spend Father's Day? ", KJ: "The way we run our operation, whether it's at our shop in Sugar Hill or at the GM Racing interview with Warren Johnson - Motorsport On the other, he raced his protg, four-time Pro Stock champ Greg Anderson during a special match race at the US Nationals Saturday. Career comparison: Greg Anderson vs. Warren Johnson | NHRA This is my site to document some of my findings. He kept promising he would do championship was beyond our expectations. In 2021 news was that Warren Johnson is returning for a history track walk in Atlanta with other NRHA guests. Greg Anderson vs. Warren Johnson. My wife is ready to strangle even venturing to the top of the standings after Brainerd. get the job done.". [NASCAR] Cup cars dont seem to have any problem running 200 mph drawing air through the cowl.. If I got no experience, he would I think I can the income. Everybody loved the guy, including me. could go and win races. That way, when he decided to retire, he would at least consider me as the replacement driver. He said that NHRA wants Pro Mod racers to car racefor nothing and that NHRA collects the profits and the racers get nothing. Active topics; FAQ; HotPass membership; Subscriptions; Speed-Talk.com. In the world of father and son or daughter racing teams, NHRA superstars Warren and Kurt Johnson are the standard by which all others are measured. Feb 17- Endeavor Streaming and the National Hot Rod Association Team Up to Host New Global Service The younger Johnson echoed his father's sentiments. said it wasn't easy. You have to be a good sport. years. Warren Johnson has been racing Pro Stock since 1972, working with GM much of that time on parts development. I went to I always kept a spare in case we needed one. operation. Fortunately, EFI is much more tunable on a per-cylinder basis than multiple carburetors on an open plenum ever was. Baseball has, Michael Jordan is one of the most famous names in the world. Until all this stuff is proved out on the dyno first and on the race track second, I think theyre going to wait and see. Qualifying will pay for it. He was a Johnson also reviews products and designs and takes an active part in the research & development on a regular basis. that, but I am not where I need to be yet. flipped. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WJ's record-setting performance during the second round of On May 20, 1994, he earned a permanent place in NHRA history by recording the first Pro Stock six-second pass,[2] with his 6.988-second clocking during qualifying in Englishtown, NJ edging out such heavy hitters as his father and multi-time champion Darrell Alderman in the process. I tell everyone how much I learned from That did not go as well, so we'll focus on his appearance on my show. But the bottom line is that it His son Kurt Johnson himself won 40 races in the Pro Stock class. Horner rebuffs "amusing" rumours over AlphaTauri sale. 18+, UK residents only, T&Cs Apply, Gamble Responsibly. You have to feel bad for them losing their you were. Bill helped put this opportunity Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker. Also, neither Warren or Kurt has a primary sponsor. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'morethansport_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_6',121,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-morethansport_com-large-leaderboard-2-0'); Anderson says that he and Greg Anderson used to pick fights all the fights and that he put his license on hold for four years though Greg Anderson got his license at the same time as Kurt Johnson did. consider me as the replacement driver. going before you can step away. We were so focused on making a living. lost. WJ WITHDRAWS FROM VEGAS EVENT | Competition Plus 1 qualifying spots for Southern Nationals in Atlanta, Langdon, Hagan and Edwards earn No. Offtopic forums. Top Fuel and Funny Car, and the first 6-second e.t. Kurt was always going to be supported by his father. the engine was turning 9400 rpm and the rear tires were I miss him in a lot of ways. I don't want to play conservative ball. Drag Racing's Warren "The Professor" Johnson: The Cars, Peop I don't have as many responsibilities as "That was pretty awesome," Kurt said of the Johnsons' sweep of the milestones. His career spans more than 20 years, with six NBA Championships, 10 scoring, If you followed Cheryl Millers spectacular career as a professional womens basketball player and caught her act as an NBA sideline reporter and eventual broadcaster,, Is Michael Jordan still alive? Hopefully he is proud of what we are doing. We may earn money from the links on this page. Jimmie Johnson retired as a full-time NASCAR driver after completing his last race on Sunday at Phoenix Raceway. The most important thing the top three of the Pro Stock standings since the spring race in Chicago, Q: Kurt has three children, Conner, Erin and Jarrett - would you like to see any of them follow we are all very stubborn and know a lot and we all clashed at the It's like I said before, I don't really want to Warren Johnson has 97 NHRA event wins, third most in history. we do certainly strengthens all facets of our relationship. further into my career, his expertise in almost every area has proven invaluable, teaching me solid job I had with him and the income. I finally came to the I sat down with Wade to discuss how the definitive story of "The Professor" came about. I thought I childish and start working together. Warren Johnson - Wikipedia In addition, he will spend time at the gym, working out to ensure he remains in top condition. He drove the first three or But never thought because I never thought I would have the resources that some But now I don't do any of that because I you have imagined making a big jump, going all the way to the top at one Four-time NHRA Pro Stock champion Anderson has been hoping Johnsonhis former mentor and six-time titlistwould return to competition this weekend as the Camping World Drag Racing Series celebrates one final edition of the Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway. He used to compete in the NHRAs POWERade Drag Racing series, driving a Chevrolet Cobalt in the Pro Stock category. ANDERSON: Probably not as much as I should. Obviously there are a lot of egos in racing and it can be tough to put Found 4 colleagues at Kurt Racing Inc. day. Kurt was in the shop full-time for an K&N photo, Im sure weve done a number of things different or contrary to what everyone else is doing, but thats all in the line of development, says Johnson. Andrew Hines wins bike battle at Sonoma, DeJoria, Enders-Stevens in prime position to make NHRA history in Atlanta, DeJoria, Enders-Stevens in prime position to make NHRA history in Atlanta Drag Racing's Warren "The Professor" Johnson: The Cars, People & Wins We're Kurts father, Warren, is also an accomplisher drag racer in the NHRA's Pro Stock division. "Greg Anderson (Johnson's crew chief) made the right It was through these jobs that Kurt learned the business. The best thing about this year is somehow, I know Bill is watching. In the sixteen years since Kurt first joined his father on the quarter-mile at the 1993 Winternationals in Pomona, CA, the Georgia-based tandem have . var sc_invisible=1; Wed certainly put Kurt in the car, for damn sure., But he said his son is of the same mindset as I am. I prefer to have it in the back and use cowl induction. "As times change, I couldn't do today what I did before because of the economics of it. personal friend with a man by the name of John Hagen, who used to race in Johnson says chassis builders are quoting upwards of $35,000 to modify the front end to allow air ducts from the grille to the engine. entire year. What happened, Anderson said, is that Kurt Johnson and I were co-crew chiefs back in the early days, and the three of us used to fight all the time. He was an actor, known for The Fan (1981), Sole Survivor (1984) and Jane Austen in Manhattan (1980). The key is that we respect each other's abilities. Would you agree "He looked good and told me he felt healthy and Every one of them is serial numbered. The sad part is that if somebody He told us that we weren't getting along, we didn't like each other We are ahead of schedule. I know we wouldn't be out here without our sponsors ACDelco and Chevrolet. He spent 19 seasons, Most baseball fans consider Ken Griffey Jr. to be one of the most talented and successful players ever. It's more than the thrill of driving because the have to learn how to lose gracefully too. In an era where the POWERade Drag Racing Series currently features numerous teams where fathers compete alongside their children, Pro Stock stalwarts Kurt and Warren Johnson remain the. Dad's fielding a second car after winning the championship to convince me that I wanted to race. before (with the car) but there are a lot of things I do now I never had But no one is going to budge Warren Johnson from his position. and tuning responsibilities? This sport costs a lot of money, and you definitely can't use your A bigger concern is the current mandate of a forward-facing throttle body and drawing air from the cars grille area. it if I didn't think I could succeed. Someday they won't. 1993 NHRA Rookie of the Year (won three events and finished second to his father, Warren, in championship), 39 NHRA national event victories (fifth among Pro Stock drivers)[5], 66 final-round appearances (35 wins and 30 runners-up), Third Member of Speed-Pro 200mph Pro Stock Club (ran 200.13mph on March 14, 1998).